Books + Brews: What to Drink and Read for July 2016

Welcome to Books + Brews, The Shaw Spot’s monthly low-down on what to read and drink. You can expect one of these bad boys around the beginning of every month, where I’ll be letting you know what currently has me excited in the craft beer and literature worlds. No more wandering around the bookstore (unless you want to), no more vacant staring at your beer bar’s menu — just some friendly advice on a book you can pick up and a beer you can check out.

With that being said, let’s get started!

July’s Brew: Peach Dodo, Rhinegeist Brewery (Gose, 4.4%, 12 IBU)

With as hot as it’s been this summer, it’s nice to kick back with a lighter, flavorful beer. Peach Dodo’s exactly that. It carries the sour, saltier tastes of the gose style, but it’s complemented with a sweeter hint of peach that makes it a perfect outdoor beer. Great for grilling out, bonfires, and just enjoying the nice weather this summer.

If you’re not on the sour train, this is a great one to try out. The peach flavor adds a lot to its approachability, and the sour flavors are just mild enough to bring you into the fold. It’s been getting harder and harder to come by, at least in Louisville, so try it out while you can!

Matthew Norman’s first novel, Domestic Violets: A Novel, was a fantastic, hilarious, poignant story, and We’re All Damaged is just as good. It begins with the narrator, Andy Carter, wallowing in life after divorce. He’s ruined most of his relationships in his hometown of Omaha and moved halfway across the country to take on a bartending gig, but, when he finds out that his grandfather is on his deathbed, he has to head back home and face it. Norman’s a master of comedy, and he balances the drama of this one with NWA, squirrels, Prince bobbleheads, and more. This is a great one for fans of Nick Hornby and Jonathan Tropper. I powered through it in a couple days, and I hands-down recommend it to anyone looking for an end-of-summer read.

Have any book or beer recommendations of your own? Feel free to let me know in a comment below!